Our eyes were drawn to the newly opened Asiatique Kitchen & Lounge in Vantage, Tanjung Tokong, Penang. The kitchen helmed by young Aldrien Moh offers Modern Australian cooking, with food prepared combining Asian flavors into French cooking techniques.

We were at the fusion theme place for a weekday lunch after it had opened, and we returned recently for dinner.

Macalister Road in Penang continues to develop with the opening of Glow Penang on December 2013. Managed by Zinc/InVision Hospitality, the mid-scale hotel offers convenient and comfortable accommodation for both holiday and business travellers. The hotel fuses 131 stylish guest rooms, a bar and the all-day dining Zest Cafe.

The cafe brightly decorated with artwork on the walls, and simple yet modern furniture is open from 7am to 11pm daily. It occupies two separate floors, a space on the ground floor and a large space on the first floor.

Officially opened on 30th October 2013, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is getting on with the Chinese New Year themed banquets at its location in Tanjung Tokong.

The hotel is offering Chinese New Year lunch and dinner menus from 30th January till 13th February 2014. The six course traditional set menu B priced at RM850.00+ per table for 10 persons comes with the Yee Sang dish and also a range of Asian and Chinese cuisine.

Attention is centered on the first dish of Yee Sang. The Prosperous Yee Sang Platter which symbolises abundance and prosperity comes with a choice of salmon or tuna, multi-coloured shredded vegetables, crackers, sauces and seasonings.

Swez Brasserie at Eastin Hotel, Penang which has been serving its Aussie Tucker theme buffet is back again this year, showcasing many other favorites. Available during lunch, hi-tea and dinner for the month of January 2014 (except 31 January), the menu this round offers a spread, with a selection of appetizers, mains and lovely desserts.

Besides dubbed as the top state for hawker food, Penang also offers places to indulge for high-end flavors. Follow me as I uncover the luxurious flavors in the island.

Chin’s Stylish Chinese Restaurant

A flamboyant restaurant at the end of Church Street Pier, Chin’s Stylish Chinese Cuisine serves cuisine leaning towards the Hunan and Szechuan style. The restaurant is run by Dave Chin, a long time entrepreneur in restaurant business and has earned several prestigious awards in his London restaurant during the 8o’s and 90’s.

Burger joints have been around Penang for decades but over the last year the number has increased significantly. Presently the island offers many places for burgers prepared with delicious fresh meat, homemade sauce and selected buns from bakeries.

Named after its global positioning satellite coordinates location (GPS) in the dockside lifestyle hub of Straits Quay in Penang, Five27 Bistro Lounge Dining has been charming diners with cool tastes of modern Nordic inspired specialties.

With its multiracial culture, Penang is a melting pot for lip-smacking cuisine. One great example would be the Mamak Mee Goreng, which some label as a “to-die-for” meal of its own. Mee Goreng served in Penang is slightly different from the rest of the nation. Apart from the usual ingredients such as bean sprouts, boiled potatoes, shrimp cake, egg and tofu, dried cuttlefish is also used, which makes Penang Mee Goreng stands out from the rest.

Just the mention of Mee Goreng and most locals will point you to the heart of Pulau Tikus, Penang. The Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng is legendary and people from all walks of life have been patronising this place for decades.

Hawker food features prominently in the culinary culture in the state of Penang. Across the industry there are always places that constantly make headlines while others tend to be excellent but underrated, and the New Cathay Coffee Shop is classified as the latter.

Located along Lorong Kuching right off the ever bustling Burmah Road, this coffee shop is one of the decent places to sample a plethora of Penang’s street hawker fare. A favorite mostly with the locals, it begins to fill up as early as 7.30 in the morning and is absolutely packed during the peak hours of ten in the morning right through two in the afternoon.

For those opting for a lighter snack, the apom manis (Indian style pan cake) stall right beside the shop is an excellent alternative. Interestingly, the owner still maintains the tradition of using charcoal stoves and clay pots.

Tucked away in Precinct 10, Sushi Zento has been serving up Japanese meal with pork besides other meats. The restaurant has two seating area, with an outdoor air-conditioned area with cosy setting. The other area has a Kaiten belt which services a number of tables and a teppanyaki section with an open kitchen concept.